Category Archives: Olympics

It's been a humbling couple of weeks for the United States as its team at the FIBA World Cup lost to Lithuania, Germany and Canada to finish 4th in the tournament. However, the defeat has come just in time to reignite LeBron James' passion for the playing in the Olympics as a new report from The Athletic shares that he's already committed to joining the 2024 Olympic team in Paris.

Previously, King James played on USA's basketball team at the Olympics twice, earning gold medals in 2008 and 2012. He now looks to earn a third gold and has made progress in recruiting supporting talent. According to The Athletic's report, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Draymond Green and Steph Curry are all prepared to commit to the team. On top of this, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, De'Aaron Fox and Kyrie Irving are said to have serious interest in joining.

Should even a handful of these players attend, Team USA will be the team to beat next year. Stay tuned for updates as Olympic preparations continue.

For more of the latest updates regarding King James, his Nike LeBron 4 silhouette is gearing up for another reissue -- taking on the all-black "Anthracite" colorway once again.

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LeBron James to Lead Superstar Roster for the 2024 Olympics - Yahoo Life

The 2024 Paris Olympics start in 319 days, and LeBron James wants to be part of it.

According to Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic, the 38-year-old Los Angeles Lakers star has a "strong" interest in playing for Team USA during next year's Summer Olympics, and he doesn't want to do it alone. He's reportedly so interested in suiting up for Team USA next year that he's contacted a handful of fellow NBA stars to recruit them to play with him.

James apparently did not start thinking about the Olympics just because Team USA only placed fourth in the FIBA World Cup after losing to Canada on Sunday. The timing is purely coincidental, as James has reportedly been thinking about this for some time.

While this may have been on James' mind for a bit, the Team USA's current roster may have influenced him somewhat. Currently, there is no one on Team USA with prior Olympics experience. And there are just three All-Stars on the entire team. Prior experience and All-Star appearances don't guarantee success, but Team USA is currently missing some of the star power that indicates they're ready to take on all comers.

James seems intent on fixing that before the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here's a list of the players he's reportedly spoken to about playing in the Olympics.

All five of those players are reportedly also ready to commit to playing on Team USA in Paris alongside James. According to Charania and Vardon, Devin Booker of the Suns, Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers, Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks, and De'Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings also have interest in playing, but were not contacted by James.

All but one person on that list has some level of Olympic experience. Durant has played in the last three Olympics and was MVP of the 2020 team. Green has played in the last two Olympics. Davis won gold with Team USA in 2012, and Tatum did the same in 2020. Curry is the only one who hasn't played in an Olympics, but he won World Cups with Team USA in 2010 and 2014.

James will be 39 when the Olympics begin, and he and several other possible Team USA stars are reportedly looking at the Paris Games as a "last dance" with USA Basketball. James has played in three Olympics, most recently in London in 2012, and has won two gold medals and a bronze.

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LeBron James reportedly wants to play in one more Olympics, and he's already recruiting - Yahoo Sports

After failing to medal during the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Team USA could bring a squad of superstars (including LeBron James) to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

According to Shams Charania and Joe Vardon ofThe Athletic, despite a fourth-place finish in the Philipines, the future could be brighter for Team USA next year. The two insiders reported that LeBron James is ready to commit for next summer and is recruiting various other top players from around the league to join him.

Based on the reporting we have seen so far, these are the other stars who could potentially team up with James in Paris when the Olympics begin in July 2024.

Of course, lots can change between now and then. But in a perfect world, the 12-man roster would likely look a bit like this:

POSITION:Wing

AGE: 39.6

EXPERIENCE: 2012 (Olympics Gold), 2008 (Olympics Gold), 2007 (Americas Gold), 2006 (World Cup Bronze), 2004 (Olympics Bronze)

Despite not playing for Team USA in more than a decade, LeBron James reportedly has significant interest in playing in the Olympics next year. His interest was not related to whether Team USA won or lost at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

POSITION:Guard

AGE: 36.4

EXPERIENCE:2014 (World Cup Gold), 2010 (World Cup Gold), 2007 (U19 World Cup Silver)

Curry is reportedly viewing next summer as a last dance with UA Basketball, per The Athletic, and has spoken to James and Durant about teaming up in Paris. Curry has never played in the Olympics but has twice won the gold medal at the World Cup.

POSITION:Forward

AGE: 35.8

EXPERIENCE:2020 (Olympics Gold), 2016 (Olympics Gold), 2012 (Olympics Gold), 2010 (World Cup Gold)

Durant, who has reportedly had conversations with James and Curry about playing for Team USA at the Olympics, has a decorated background with the national team. He won FIBA World Cup MVP in 2010 and he is a three-time Olympic gold medalist.

POSITION:Big

AGE: 31.4

EXPERIENCE:2014 (World Cup Gold), 2012 (Olympics Gold)

Although he has not played for Team USA in nearly a decade, Davis won a gold medal with James at the Olympics in 2012 and gold alongside Curry at the World Cup in 2014. He would help provide the size in the frontcourt that Team USA needed at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The big man led all players in the regular season and postseason for rebounds per game.

POSITION:Forward

AGE: 26.4

EXPERIENCE:2020 (Olympics Gold), 2019 (World Cup), 2015 (U19 World Cup Gold), 2014 (U17 World Cup Gold), 2013 (U16 Americas Gold)

Among all of the candidates for Team USA next summer, Tatum is one of the youngest and also one of the most decorated players mentioned. After he won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, he said he would like to play for Team USA again.

POSITION:Big

AGE: 34.4

EXPERIENCE:2020 (Olympics Gold), 2016 (Olympics Gold)

Green, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, would immediately help Team USA tremendously on the defensive end of the floor. He brings experience playing for head coach Steve Kerr, who could utilize him in his small-ball lineups that did not work as well during the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

POSITION:Wing

AGE: 27.7

EXPERIENCE: 2020 (Olympics Gold)

While he isnt mentioned as one of the players who has spoken directly to LeBron James about playing for Team USA, perThe Athletic, three-time All-Star Devin Booker reportedly has a serious interest in committing to play in the Olympics in Paris as well.

POSITION:Guard

AGE: 34.0

EXPERIENCE:2020 (Olympics Gold)

Lillard, like Booker, reportedlyhas a serious interest in committing to play in the Olympics in Paris as well. The seven-time All-Star is easily one of the best pure scorers in the world and so long as he is healthy, his offensive spark would help Team USA. Another name to consider in the backcourt is Tyrese Haliburton. He had the highest plus-minus of anyone on his team during the tournament.

POSITION:Big

AGE: 27.0

EXPERIENCE:2020 (Olympics Gold)

Team USA decided to switch everything when defending the pick and roll and there is perhaps no better player for that style of play than Bam Adebayo. He has experience playing for Team USA assistant coach Erik Spoelstra on the Miami Heat. Adebayo is widely considered a strong candidate to play in Paris.

POSITION:Wing

AGE: 22.9

EXPERIENCE:2023 (World Cup)

Team USAs leading scorer at the World Cup was Anthony Edwards, who is clearly an emerging superstar. He said he would love to join the team for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

POSITION:Big

AGE: 30.4

EXPERIENCE:N/A

If we are talking about the best-case scenario for next summer, there is no bigger swing factor in the 2024 Olympics than Joel Embiid. The NBAs reigning MVP is eligible to play for Team USA or Team France during the Olympics. Team USA managing director Grant Hill said Embiid knows our desire to have him on the team.

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USA Basketball: LeBron James leads projected roster for 2024 Olympics - For The Win

At least one sportsbook seems to think the rumors that LeBron James is recruiting NBA All-Stars to play for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics are true.

BetOnline has odds for which players will don the stars & stripes next summer and try to help Team USA win its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics. To no one's surprise, James and Steph Curry lead the way with -1500 odds, with Kevin Durant not far behind at -1000.

James has not played in the Olympics nor for Team USA since 2012. He turns 39 this December, meaning next summer's Games will likely be his last chance to play for his country. He's surely not going to waste that opportunity, hence why he's reportedly assembling a superteam.

Curry has never played in the Olympics and has limited time with Team USA in general. He emerged as a key player for America during the 2014 FIBA World Cup, which was the last time he represented the United States.

With the reports that Team USA will bring its very best to Paris next summer, sportsbooks quickly acted and established the United States as the clear frontrunner to win gold. Since NBA players were allowed to play in the Olympics in 1992, the United States has medaled every time and won gold in seven of the eight editions of the Games.

Other players favored to play for Team USA include Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, Draymond Green and Anthony Davis. The Americans were favored to win the 2023 FIBA World Cup but were upset in the semifinals by the eventual champions Germany.

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LeBron James, Stephen Curry favorites to play for Team USA in 2024 Olympics - ClutchPoints

The three Abrahamic religions share the story of Jacobs wonderful dream (Genesis 28). As Desmond Tutu tells it in his Children of God Storybook Bible, following a fight with his brother Esau, Jacob fled into the desert to hide. One night, as he slept, he dreamed of a ladder reaching to the sky with angels going up and down. Then God stood beside him and said, I will be with you and protect you and keep you safe. When Jacob woke up, he realized God is in this place, and I did not know it. So he took a stone and blessed it with oil and said, This is Beth El, the house of God and the gate to heaven.

My adult son David, who is intellectually disabled, has played Special Olympics sports for fifteen years. Basketball, softball, on occasion track and field or bocce ball, most recently volleyball. I have attended more practices, games and tournamentslocal, regional and state-widethan I can count.

Over the years I have experienced Special Olympics as Beth Elthe house of God. Like Jacob, I see God in this placewhich I did not initially expect.

Many people have heard of an incident that happened at a 1976 track-and-field event in Spokane, Washington. A Special Olympics contestant stumbled and fell during the 100-yard dash, and one or two other athletes turned back. They helped the runner to his feet and walked across the finish line together. I regularly see similar moments of grace at Special Olympics events.

The basketball game is nearly done. One player, severely autistic, runs up and down the court at random or stands alone stimming. All the other players are actively involved in shooting, passing and dribblingexcept one. Then his team gets the ball, and the woman holding it stops the game. Approaching the young man, she calls Michael, come and play. Taking him by the hand, she leads him to the basket, places the ball in his hands and urges him to shoot. He does. Both teams and the crowd of parents go wild with applause and cheersand tears. This is a holy momentBeth El, Gods Kingdom of inclusive love is in this place.

Its the opening ceremonies for the statewide Special Olympics basketball tournament. A disabled athlete enters the darkened arena carrying the torchshe is circled by five uniformed police officers who run with her. The torch is passed to other runners, but the officers stay close by, accompanying them around the perimeter to the lighting of the flame. I wipe away tears and contemplate the Special Olympics logo, depicting five figures in a unifying circle. I am seeing the reality of how the world is meant to be: the weakest and most vulnerable surrounded and assisted by the strongest and most powerful. Beth El on a Friday night in Bloomington, Illinois.

David is up to bat. Truth be told, hes one of the poorer players with an uneven batting record. Then Nate walks up to the chain-link fence behind home plate. Hes one of the best players, often delivering home runs. The contrast between Nate and David is striking, but there he is cheering David on. Hey man, you can do it! he shouts. The ball is low, but David swings and misses. Rats! Nate is undeterred: Watch for your pitch! he encourages. You can do it. This is, once again, Beth El.

The difference between proficiency and deficiency evaporatesthere are simply two team members, two equal persons, two fellow human beings, two friends. A snatch of scripture floats through my mind: there is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28).

The next ball is in the strike zone: David hits it square, drops his bat and makes it to first. Yay!

Many Special Olympics events take place on Sunday mornings, making them for me a particularly poignant experience of koinoniacommunion, sharing, fellowship. At competitions there is very little us-versus-them animosity. Of course we hope our team wins, but each side cheers the successes of the rival team and laments with good try when things go wrong. Athletes, parents and family, coaches and refereeswere one community, all in this together.

This is Gods Dream, Desmond Tutu says: God dreams about people sharing. God dreams about people caring. God dreams that we reach out and hold one anothers hands and play one anothers games and laugh with one anothers hearts. God dreams that everyone of us will see that we are all brothers and sisters. We are family because we are all Gods children.

This is the Beth El blessing I receive so often at Special Olympics. Its also the Beth El challengeto show Gods faithful love to everyone, without exception.

We are made for the togetherness which Special Olympics exemplifies. Its Beth El, a parable of ubi caritaswhere true love is, God is there.

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Special Olympics as Beth-el - The Reformed Journal Blog - Reformed Journal

Armed with a glass of red wine and a giant baguette, Peyton Manning is ready for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

The 47-year-old former NFL star and his selection of famous French treats teamed up with NBC Universal to promote the network's coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games, which begin July 26 in Paris, France.

As Manning rides into view on a giant baguette to open the spot, he welcomes viewers to Paris, "home to French bread, wine, and now, the Olympics," he announces.

The spot then takes Manning into a conference room, where the beloved athlete tries to sell a table of marketing executives on his carb-filled idea of riding a flying baguette to promote the games.

The big flying baguette blimp doesn't go over well with the fictional marketing team, though, and Manning's appearance in the spot ends with him saying, "Remind me never to pitch bread stuff again," on a phone call after the meeting.

Manning tells PEOPLE that he's "excited" for the Paris Olympics.

I have always been a big fan of the Olympics andwe root hard for Team USA competing against the best in the world.

The 2024 Games will be the third time Paris has hosted the Olympics, along with the 1900 and 1924 editions. That ties the city with London for the most as a Summer Games host.

Since he retired from the NFL, Manning has enjoyed exploring opportunities in the entertainment industry.

Never miss a story sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Manning's NBC promo comes during the same week as another hilarious campaign starring the former football player.

To promote the third season of ManningCast, co-hosted with his brother Eli, the Mannings held auditions for a third host slot on their popular series, meeting with celebrities likeDJ KhaledandLil Wayneand star athletes likeMike TysonandLSU's Olivia Dunne.

When the fictionalized auditions go poorly, Tom Brady (who will experience his first NFL season post-retirement this year) is shown seated in the audition waiting room with an adorable golden retriever.

"No, I didn't get theManningCastjob," Brady, 45, says on a phone call before ominous music begins. "I guess I'll just come back and play football again."

Originally posted here:

Watch Peyton Manning Prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics with a ... - PEOPLE

In a sport where athletes hang by boulders at impossible inclines and scale 15-metre walls in less than five seconds, every kilo matters.

Or so it seems, at least, to sport climbers who are looking for quick gains.

Less labour intensive or time consuming than training, cutting down on meals is often hailed as the ultimate shortcut to get faster on a climbing wall. Entering a gym with rail-thin climbers, where a starved frame leads to compliments rather than concern, endorses that attitude.

It is an environment that Garnbret, who got started in the sport at age seven, knows all too well.

Five days before the start of the 2023 IFSC Sport Climbing World Championships with all eyes on the then six-time world champion Garnbret made an Instagram post that sent ripples across the sports community.

A black and white photograph of the Olympic champion, it featured this raw caption: Do we want to raise the next generation of skeletons? Lets not look away.

In the text that accompanied the post, Garnbret detailed the problem of eating disorders in sport climbing and called for more awareness and action.

"This was a very, very sensitive topic, so it was very important to choose the right words," she told Olympics.com. "I didn't want to call out any names or [be] offensive. I just wanted to share my thoughts on it, so not being disrespectful in any way.

"I also have friends who were in this kind of position and I saw what was happening to them, and I just don't want any other person to go through something like that."

Eating disorders are common among elite as well as amateur sport climbers, and more and more of them are now starting to share their stories.

One athlete recalled the pride he mistakenly felt when his extreme weight loss earned him the monicker "Auschwitz Boy", while other climbers have opened up about their self-destructive patterns of starving, bingeing and then punishing themselves with excessive exercise.

"It starts off with how we talk about food. We have to talk about food as fuel and not a bad thing," Garnbret said. "We cannot close our eyes that climbing is a sport related to weight, so we have to fight gravity. And of course you want to be light, but not too light, and there's a thin line between being too light.

"We as a society, first, we need to openly talk about it. We need to talk about how we define what fit means, does it mean this or that. And we have to openly talk about it. Also coaches have to be really educated on that because you have coaches that are actually saying to their athletes that they need to be skinnier, but this is not sustainable and this is not the way to go. So first, we need to create a healthy environment that you can thrive in and that's the most important thing."

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Exclusive - Olympic champion Janja Garnbret speaks out on eating ... - Olympics

The 2023 FIFA Womens World Cup is over has been over for the USWNT for some time. While it technically came to an end in the round of 16, you can make the case that they entered the tournament too far behind the eight ball to ever stand a chance.

In a nail-biting penalty shootout with their familiar Swedish foes, the Americans hopes of a three-peat were dashed by just millimeters. The result was heartbreaking for the fans, and devastating for the players, but not entirely unexpected. A poor group stage performance brought a common complaint: This was not the USWNT everyone knew. The squad that fought for a historic equal pay agreement thats since become a blueprint for other club and national teams striving for change. The team that won back-to-back World Cup titles with flair, confidence, and an undeniable certainty that led to them deservedly being called the best womens soccer team in the world. The team that put football (the global version) on the map in the States had been replaced by a disjointed, out-of-synch mix of veterans and youngsters with enough natural talent and international experience that watching them squander it felt perplexing, almost maddeningly so.

Theres a nuance in losing that goes unnoticed when a team as dominant as the U.S. does it. Their early ousting wasnt simply the result of one poor performance or one coach. It certainly cant be assigned to the pre-match outfits the players wore or how they celebrated advancing out of the group stage despite disappointing themselves on the pitch. Instead, it was a series of choices some made on the field, some made on the sidelines, and some made by a system and federation thats struggled to bridge the gap between its old guard and its new, its professional leagues and college pipelines, its youth level and its national squad, and the way it courts both homegrown and overseas talent. Players like Tobin Heath and Christen Press have touched on this, as have NWSL breakouts like Midge Purce, whos given candid commentary on the USWNTs performance in this most recent tournament. The fix wont be quick or easy. It certainly wont end with the latest announcement of coach Vlatko Andonovskis resignation. But it does come with a deadline, one thats less than a year away and can be found in France, the country where the USWNT won the World Cup just four years ago.

Can the USWNT be ready in time to make a gold medal run for the 2024 Olympics? That question is now the question on everyones minds. And what will that roster look like especially with veterans like Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz calling it quits while veteran standouts like Alex Morgan, Kelley OHara, and Alyssa Naeher begin to age out of competition? The teams guard is changing and with that comes the chance for the next generation to redefine what the landscape of soccer in America looks like. For grandfathered-in fans whove been with these athletes for decades, thats both terrifying and exciting. Its also a reason to hope for something new, different, and maybe even better than whats come before.

Hope is what fans should feel when they see Naomi Girma the 23-year-old defender from the San Diego Wave navigate the back line with the kind of ease, precision, and confidence that no player with just 20 caps should have at her age. Hope is watching Emily Sonnett an underrated workhorse for the national team who can play anywhere on the pitch finally earn her due respect by shoring up a midfield that felt lost all tournament long and made fans believe in the teams ability to win once more. Hope is a fist-pumping Andi Sullivan setting the tone for the teams shootout performance, Kristie Mewis using her one touch to sink a left-footed strike from the penalty spot, and Naeher making history as the first keeper to score a penalty kick in both the men and womens tournaments. Their 2023 campaign may have ended cruelly, but theyre athletes, used to the fleeting joy of victory and the never-ending what ifs of loss and theyll bounce back.

Plenty of players from the USWNT have returned to their clubs in the NWSL and elsewhere, training for when the league restarts play this month and the Challenge Cup finals begin. Theyre readying too for the inaugural 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup in early 2024 before setting their sights on Paris in July. We might not be able to predict who will make the squad under interim coach Twila Kilgore for upcoming friendlies this fall, or what the roster looks like under whichever coach the federation picks next year, but there are plenty of players to pay attention to over the next few months.

Names like Lindsey Horan who served as the USWNTs co-captain at this years tournament Rose Lavelle, Crystal Dunn, Mewis, Sofia Huerta, and Lynn Williams should be familiar to U.S. fans by now. Theyve been with some iteration of the national squad for years, with some earning their first World Cup caps this summer while others have hoisted a trophy or two in the past. Horan heads back to France to play with her club team, Lyon, while Mewis and Williams return to Gotham FC, currently sitting in third place in the NWSL standings. Lavelle and Sonnett are both heading back to the OL Reign while Sullivan goes to the Washington Spirit.

The USWNT has a handful of recognizable stars on the injured list as well, like Press, Heath, Sam Mewis, and Mallory Swanson. Theyll likely be vital in leading the team in the next four years but as of now, theyre all working to get back to fitness and their availability for the Olympic roster is still in question.

The USWNT may have fumbled their introduction a bit, but the next generation of American soccer talent is already here and theyve gained valuable experience on the international stage this summer. Sophia Smith barely played as a true nine in the World Cup, but if fans are curious to see how threatening she is up top, they can watch her continue to break goal-scoring records with the Thorns this fall. Trinity Rodman, another striker with pace, is in the Washington Spirits starting lineup along with Ashley Sanchez, a versatile and scrappy midfielder who deserved more time in Australia and New Zealand.

Girma heads back to the San Diego Wave, a team currently fighting for a spot in the playoffs, while 18-year-old phenom Alyssa Thompson rejoins Angel City FC. Midfielder Savannah DeMelo was having an outstanding NWSL season before getting the surprise call up, so shell likely continue to perform well with her club, Racing Louisville, while Emily Fox who joined Girma as one of the most consistent and reliable players on the 2023 USWNT goes back to the NC Courage, along with the US backup goalkeeper, Casey Murphy.

The talent pool for the U.S. is deep, so deep that even after listing the veterans and newbies that managed to make the squad in 2023, fans still have a miles-long roster to pick from when it comes to potential crest-wearers next year. One of the most prominent examples is Chelsea FCs Catarina Macario, a player often heralded as the future of the U.S. womens game, who didnt play this summer while returning from injury. Then theres Mia Fishel, another goal-scoring wonder, whos also joined Chelseas side this season. Gotham FCs Midge Purce, Orlando Prides Messiah Bright, and Washington Spirits Ashley Hatch all deserve to be in the conversation for their attacking abilities, while lesser-known names like Olivia Moultrie (Portland Thorns), Jaedyn Shaw (San Diego Wave), and Sam Coffey (Portland Thorns) could help fill out the USWNTs midfield.

Despite the influx of younger players fighting for spots on the USWNTs roster, the squad has some proven veterans who can not only compete, but provide invaluable leadership to the next generation as they make their way through the ranks. Julie Ertz said following the Sweden game that she will retire, but currently, shes starting at Angel City FC and is in good form. Could she be convinced to come back for one last tournament in 2024? Dunn fast-tracked her return from maternity leave to help the USWNT at this years World Cup, too. She wasnt at her best, but her pace and skill on the ball might convince a new coach to put her in the midfield (where she plays for the Thorns) instead of the backline. OHara is still working on her fitness after coming back from injury, but she is an influential player among the squad and has always been dependable as an outside back. Alex Morgan, who struggled to find the back of the net this summer, is back with the San Diego Wave and ready to find her footing once more. And Naeher, whos also part of the older guard of the USWNT, is largely why the squad was able to make it through both the group and a tough 90+ minute battle with Sweden. She anchored the team during the World Cup and shell be needed again next year at the Olympics.

The main takeaway is that the USWNT will be fine. Theyll regroup and reshape themselves, pulling new talent and reconfiguring how and where they play their proven stars. Any talk of era-ending, dynasty-falling performances from this World Cup should be put on pause until new coaches and, more importantly, new strategies for fostering playmakers at the youth, college, and professional levels can be decided on. Until then, just enjoy watching these athletes compete with their clubs and make a case for why they could turn the tide for the team next year.

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What Could The USWNT Look Like At The 2024 Summer Olympics? - UPROXX

At first glance, heaping helpings of beef, rutabagas, potatoes, and onions tucked inside a doughy crust and baked to perfection may not look like much to the untrained eye.

To Upper Peninsula residents Yoopers for short and Michiganders young and old, pasties are culinary gold, and eating one is a rite of passage in the Mitten State.

Dozens of locations in Michigan serve these delicacies, and they are just one of many reasons why Yoopers and visitors alike love spending time in the Upper Peninsula.

The UPs love for the pasty will be on full display this Saturday, during the first-ever Pasty Fest Olympics in Calumet. Right in the heart of Michigans Keweenaw Peninsula, competitors and visitors alike will delight in competing in and watching one-of-a-kind events that may serve as the foundation for future pasty festivals.

Whether youve never had a pasty or you have a favorite place (or several) for pasties in the Upper Peninsula, this is a first-of-its-kind festival youll want to see to believe.

All over the county, many cities are famous for their culinary specialties. New York, Chicago, and Detroit have pizza. Buffalo has chicken wings. Philadelphia has cheesesteaks.

Way up in Michigans UP, its all about the pasty, which traces its roots back to England and Cornish miners who coveted the pasty for its tastiness and easy portability in their lunch pails.

It came to the UP thanks to the many different groups who settled in Copper Country and worked in the copper mines, again taking the pasties down into the mines with them to eat.

At its core, the pasty is a filling of beef, rutabagas, potatoes, and onions wrapped up and baked to perfection in a flaky dough crust. Think of it as a UP version of the pot pie.

Across the Upper Peninsula, hungry residents and visitors can find this staple in dozens of shops, stretching from Munising to St. Ignace to Calumet to Ontanagon and everywhere in between.

Pasty purists can find the traditional pasty (beef, potatoes, onions, and rutabagas) at just about any pasty shop. But many UP pasty spots have upped the ante over the years, offering chicken pasties, gluten-free pasties, pizza-flavored pasties, dessert pasties, and so much more.

The Pasty Fest Olympics is a first-of-its-kind event designed to show love for the pasty and challenge competitors in feats of skill, strength, and speed.

This years inaugural event will take place from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 19th, 2023.

Competitors and spectators alike will enjoy a multitude of events, including the Pasty Pull, the Pasty Relay Race, and the Pasty Fest Art Prize.

Tests of strength such as weight lifting and truck pulling are awe-inspiring, but spectators will truly be in awe as they watch this weekends Pasty Pull.

The strongest individuals in Copper Country are being called upon to harness the mighty and awesome power of pasties to pull a truck down Oak Street in Calumet.

Contestants will be strapped to a truck (make and model TBD) with tow straps and have five minutes to complete the truck pull down a 100-foot track.

Another highlight of the Pasty Olympics will be the Pasty Relay in downtown Calumet, which will see teams vying for pasty glory by making giant pasties in stages.

The competition is equal parts race and pasty making. Its sure to be messy and fast-paced, but most of all, its going to be fun!

The race is a four-stage competition in which teams of four will compete to make the ultimate gigantic pasty. The first stage will see competitors get their hands dirty as they make a pasty crust. The second stage involves rolling out the dough flat with foam pool noodles and filling it with pasty ingredients.

From there, the next competitors will get their fingers moving fast as they work to perfect the pinch and crimp. The final stage involves egg-washing the creations with a mop and racing them to the top of Pasty Mountain for baking.

Prizes will be awarded during the relay to the team who completes all stages correctly in the shortest amount of time. There will also be prizes for the best team costumes and the most appetizing pasties.

Visit Keweenaw is also sponsoring the first Pasty Art Prize Competition where Upper Peninsula artists are encouraged to submit pasty-themed artwork for display.The pieces will be displayed in downtown Calumet businesses, allowing passersby to see them and get into the Olympic spirit. The entries can also be viewed through a virtual gallery.

UP Pasty Olympic attendees are strongly encouraged to walk through the historic streets of downtown Calumet and vote for their favorite pieces.

The top three winners will be announced on Saturday, and cash prizes will be awarded.

The three above-mentioned Olympic events are sure to be crowd-pleasers, but Calumets Pasty Fest has many more events in store this weekend.

Other events on the Pasty Fest schedule include:

No matter where you go in the Upper Peninsula, you dont have to go far to find a tasty pasty.

Cross the Mackinac Bridge (or head south if youre already in the UP) and head to St. Ignace. Here youll find Lehtos Pasties, considered by many to be one of the premier pasty spots in the entire UP.

In the central UP, Lawrys Pasty Shop promises delicious pasties, including the original and vegetarian options. All it takes is one bite for customers of all ages to be hooked.

Along Lake Superiors southern shores, Muldoons in downtown Munising is one spot hungry customers wont want to miss. Muldoons main location is on the way into town and has an awning and picnic tables that allow for a fun outdoor eating experience.

The pasty menu includes traditional, veggie, and chicken options, but those with room for dessert can also get an apple pie pasty.

There are even some great spots in the Lower Peninsula that offer pasties though pasty purists may say the Upper Peninsula is the only spot to get a true taste of their goodness.

Theres no debating that pasties are delicious. But what can make for serious debate among Michiganders is the proper filling for a pasty and the proper way to eat it.

Traditionalists swear by the old-fashioned typical pasty: Beef, onions, rutabagas, and potatoes. Others like having options, including chicken pasties, veggie pasties, venison pasties, and dessert pasties.

When you get your pasty, in many spots, its tradition to eat it with a hearty side of ketchup. Still, others prefer their pasties with a side of gravy.

And thats to say nothing of the eating of the pasty itself. Because it was designed to be portable, hungry customers on the go prefer to eat them as a handheld sort of sandwich. Those who prefer a sit-down meal eat their pasties with a knife and fork (and may even add a sprinkle of salt and pepper too).

No matter how you enjoy your pasty, its best to enjoy it however you like it best. Whether pasties are a staple of your diet or theyre a rare treat during visits to Michigan or to the UP, dont let ground rules take away from your enjoyment of this UP delicacy.

If youve never been to the Upper Peninsula, the first-ever Pasty Fest Olympics are the perfect time to go. There will be fun for attendees of all ages to enjoy, and youll see for yourself how the humble pasty has become such an important part of UP culture.

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Don't Miss the UP Pasty Olympics in Calumet! - Awesome Mitten

ANOTHER PARIS OLYMPICS test run in the River Seine was cancelled on Saturday because of concerns about water quality, in a fresh blow to Games organisers and the citys ambitions to reopen the river to public swimming.

Paratriathlon swimmers were in the Seine in competition on Thursday and Friday, but results of water quality tests showed significant discrepancies in the hours leading up to Saturdays events, organisers said in a statement.

The competition was transformed into a duathlon of just running and cycling.

Water safety officials are trying to determine why two testing systems used for the river produced different results.

PA Aurelie Lemaire, a microbiology research intern, tests the river water quality PA

One indicated too-high levels of bacteria overnight, said Pierre-Antoine Molina, who oversees public policy for the Paris regional administration.

Rainfall in recent days may have been a factor.

A previous test event had to be cancelled this month because heavy rain caused overflows of untreated waste in the Seine, leaving water quality below safety standards.

Rain also hit Paris ahead of todays cancellation.

Paris is spending massively onwater-management projectsthat officials say will make pollution caused by storms less frequent.

Olympics organisers remain undeterred in their mission to hold open-air swimming events along the picturesque river, viewing this months cancellations as a learning experience.

PA The Alexandre III bridge will be the setting for the finish line of the individual cycling time trials, swimming marathon, triathlon and para triathlon PA

The head of the Paris 2024 organising committee, Tony Estanguet, said a contingency plan will be in place next year to allow swimming events to be postponed for a few days if water quality is not up to standard.

But there is no plan B for moving the competition.

We will remain in this extraordinary location, no matter what happens, said Mr Estanguet, a three-time Olympic gold medallist in canoe slalom. We want to preserve this ambition.

The plan for Olympic and Paralympic athletes to swim in the Seine dovetails with council efforts to clean up the long-murky waterway.

Paris has promised more transparency about its clean-up efforts than Rio de Janeiro, where concerns about sewage-contaminated water dogged the 2016 Olympics.

This weeks triathlon takes athletes and spectators to some of the French capitals most striking views.

The swim starts from the bottom of the 19th-century Alexandre III bridge and its golden statues. The cycling and running laps go along the Champs-Elysees and through some prestigious neighbourhoods.

New tests will be conducted and a decision will be made early Sunday on whether Sundays swimming events can be held as scheduled, organisers said.

Read more:

Water quality concerns halt Paris Olympics swimming test in the Seine - TheJournal.ie